On Thursday, July 15th, 2021, at approximately 6:50 pm, the Turlock Police Department received a call of a burglary in progress at Wakefield Elementary School located at 400 South Ave. The caller, who was a child at the school’s playground with his friends, reported that a female had just broken a window of a classroom and made entry into it.
Officers arrived on scene within minutes and indeed found a broken classroom window with a female, later identified as Angel Botley, 34, of Ceres in the classroom. As soon as Botley saw officers, she ran from the room into the hallway, carrying a supply of paints that she had stolen with her. She eventually made her way to the parking lot where officers attempted to take her into custody, however, she told them that she had a mental condition and did not like people around her. Officers backed off and began to deescalate the situation, asking Botley to peacefully surrender. Eventually, Botley did surrender and she was taken into custody without further incident.
Botley was booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on charges of burglary, vandalism over $400, and resisting a peace officer.